


mumbling alt rock songs

by hypersomnic



Series: art kids [8]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Background Relationships, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Relationship Discussions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:02:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23868712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypersomnic/pseuds/hypersomnic
Summary: [art kids au]it's so dark. he's so glad.
Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife, implied Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Series: art kids [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/977451
Comments: 9
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

“Zack?” Cloud whispers, quietly opening the door to Aerith’s room just enough for him to slip through, closing it behind him. The light in the hall is on - Aerith is still up, working on a paper in the living room, and had just flashed Cloud a knowing little look when he’d gotten up and wandered back towards their rooms. He hopes the way the room suddenly illuminates as he opens the door and slips inside, closing it silently behind himself, doesn’t bother Zack too much.

It’s late, he’s probably been in bed for hours at this point. Standing in the doorway in the dark, Cloud’s not sure what he wants. Coming in here like this is selfish. Do his intentions even matter? Cloud had talked himself up to it and now that he was here, doubt was creeping in. Zack blearily props himself up on his elbow, yawning hugely.

“I woke you up,” Cloud frowns, jamming his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. It’s Aerith’s room, technically, and he’s been in here before, but it’s… He’s tired of thinking about it. Don’t think about it.

Zack gives a noncommittal grunt in reply and flops back onto his side, holding his arm out to Cloud. Cloud hesitates for a second, even though that was exactly what he had been waiting for. Selfishly. It helps that it’s so dark. It helps that Zack is so close to sleep. Everything feels muted. Everything feels safer. It’s easier than he deserves it to be, he thinks, even as he steps within Zack’s reach and Zack slips his arm around Cloud’s waist, pulling him close. He’s warm, full of a quiet buzz, a ringing in his skin emanating out from where Zack touches him, like ripples in water reflecting the sky. Cloud runs his hand down Zack’s bicep and over his shoulder, pressing into the muscle there with his fingertips. Zack makes a small, muffled noise, and Cloud flushes. It’s so dark; he’s so glad.

Zack’s nods off again as Cloud silently massages his shoulder, head dropping against Cloud’s stomach. His hold on Cloud’s middle is limp and precious. Cloud doesn’t mind. When Zack twitches minutely in his sleep, his fingers jump slightly at the small of Cloud’s back.

It’s only when Cloud tentatively slips his free hand into Zack’s hair that Zack actually opens his eyes.

“Sorry, I know you were asleep-”

“Will you get in bed?” Zack whines, mostly into Cloud’s side, and Cloud shivers, shifts from foot to foot.

“Can I?” Cloud breathes and Zack nods against him. Kicking the sheets back, Zack doesn’t let go, just tries to shuffle over to make room. Cloud snorts, bracing himself against the mattress when Zack threatens to topple him over. As soon as he manages to get into bed and somewhat under the sheets, Zack pulls him close and Cloud exhales until he’s out of breath.

Awkward, he’s frozen like that - crushed against Zack’s chest - until he shifts and wraps his arms around Zack’s neck. They’re nearly cheek to cheek. Zack sighs heavily, his breath tickling the side of Cloud’s neck. Slowly, he relaxes. The heat from Zack’s body helps. Zack’s steady breathing helps. The sleep-slow, contented, quiet humming coming from Zack helps. Cloud’s never sure if Zack is aware he does it, or if it’s his unconscious mind thinking words and unintelligible sounds are coming out, but Cloud likes it. It’s cute. Zack’s cute.

“Zack?”

“Mhnn?”

“Sorry I'm late.” They had had the loosest of dinner plans, a sad couple of hours where their schedules overlapped for the first time in a week, and Cloud had fucked it up, lost track of time. He doesn’t have to ask, he knows Zack waited for him until he couldn’t.

Zack shifts in his arms and drags his lips up Cloud’s neck, nose bumping Cloud’s ear, voice husky with sleep, “It’s okay. I know you’re busy with school.”

“But still,” Cloud sighs, suppressing a shudder. He wants to apologize again, for the rest of the night. He needs Zack to understand how much he means it, that it was important to him, that Zack’s important to him. Just saying it feels stupid. “Sorry.”

“You’re here now, aren’t you?” Zack says with a yawn, and Cloud nods, his fingers in Zack’s hair. 

The tips of Zack’s fingers brush slowly over the inch and a half of bare skin that is the space where Cloud’s shirt has rucked up. Cloud wonders if Zack can feel the goosebumps on his skin. He wonders if Zack can feel his heart thudding away in his chest. He decides that it’s okay if Zack does.

“Sleep here tonight,” Zack sighs.

“I usually do.”

“I mean right here, with me.”

“Mm.”

“In the middle.”

Cloud props himself up on his elbow and Zack shifts back a little, rolling onto his back, “In the middle?”

Zack’s eyes almost glow in the low light coming through the bedroom window. “Only if you want to.”

He visibly flushes when Cloud leans over him, braces his pale hand against Zack’s chest. Cloud watches Zack lick his lips.

“You think Aerith’ll mind?” Cloud asks, tries to tease but he can’t keep the eye contact, “Me in the middle.”

“Nah,” Zack yawns, reaching out sleepily to grab Cloud’s thigh, wedges his fingers between Cloud and the bed. Cloud’s heart jumps into his throat.

They’re always telling Cloud how beautiful he is - carefully, softly, in the way Aerith smiles at him in the morning - but he’s nothing compared to Zack. Under Cloud’s hands he’s so alive, tanned and warm. He can feel Zack’s sharp inhale. It makes his stomach twist. He hyper-focuses instead of deciding what that means.

Zack’s long dark lashes. The sharp slope of Zack’s jaw. Zack watching him through half-lidded eyes, lips parted. Zack’s cupid bow. The soft pressure of Zack’s fingertips - on Cloud’s back, his thigh through his sweatpants. Zack’s heartbeat, strong and sure under Cloud’s palm.


	2. and go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _they'll talk about it later. tomorrow, probably._

Zack is a people person. His occasional naivety is based in the hope that people will prove him wrong if they're just given the opportunity to be better. He's not sure why, but it's always been easy for him to understand people at fundamental levels, to appeal to their sense of self. He hopes it's because they can see that he's trying, that he truly wants to understand. Maybe they can sense that he's genuine. He hopes that's why.

He thinks he's starting to understand Cloud.

When he gets out of the training facility one night Cloud is there waiting for him, sitting on the hood of Zack’s truck. It's hard not to grin too wide, not to run over, pull Cloud down and kiss him against the grill. Cloud waited for him, Cloud knew he had practice, Cloud’s last class ended an hour ago. He could be home by now. Instead Zack says his goodbyes to his team and laughs a little about his roommate waiting for him. His grin is barely contained. He strolls over to Cloud instead - trying for unhurried, unexcited - and means to knock gently on the hood of the truck but Cloud’s already watching him, pulling out an earphone. Zack ducks his head, smiles.

“Been waiting long?” he asks as Cloud puts his sketchbook away and slips off the hood, brushing off the seat of his pants. Under the streetlights of the parking lot Cloud’s hair is brilliant. One of Cloud’s sleeves is half unrolled and Zack wants to fix it so badly but he doesn't. He stutters for a moment between decisions. Would he fix it if it was someone else? If it was Angeal? Yeah, he would.

He puts his bags down and steps forward. He can see doubt flicker across Cloud’s face, catches the way Cloud’s eyes flicker over to wear Zack’s teammates are still standing, chatting among themselves. Cloud tenses and stills as Zack gets close, letting go of the breath he’d been holding when Zack fiddles with his sleeve.

“Not too long,” Cloud shrugs, muttering a quiet ‘thanks’ when Zack steps away, rolled sleeve perfect, “My class just ended.”

Hefting his bat bag up back onto his shoulder, Zack motions to the truck with a hand, “Need a ride home?”

Cloud smirks, a crooked little thing, but Zack knows what it is. Zack watches his eyes, the little wrinkles that appear briefly at the corners of them. Cloud bends down to grab Zack’s gym bag for him and when he faces Zack again the quirk is still there. Zack’s heart aches. Cloud brushes past him and hefts the bag into the bed of Zack’s truck, holds his hand out for the bat bag. Zack suddenly feels sweaty and sticky and gross as he hands the bag over.

“It’s why I’m here,” Cloud takes the bat bag from him and loads that into the back too, and Zack swears he’s teasing him.

Zack let's Cloud drive home - he doesn't get motion sick when he's the driver - and they travel in relative silence but for the radio and the occasional comment (mostly from Zack). Zack rests his arm casually on the middle console, palm up. It's eighteen minutes and three stop lights before Zack feels Cloud’s fingers tentatively touch his palm before slipping into the gaps between Zack’s fingers. Zack smiles down at his phone, resisting the urge to send Aerith a photo. Cloud keeps driving one-handed, eyes stubbornly focused on the road.

It's truly dark when they get to Aerith and Cloud’s apartment block, and the streetlights are far enough apart for there to be pockets of shadows between them. Cloud parks exactly between them, and the cab of the truck is plunged into darkness when he pulls the key out of the ignition. Cloud let's go of Zack’s hand to start gathering his things, but Zack leans over, elbow propped up on the middle console, resting his chin in his hand, and waits. He knows Cloud sees him, is aware of him at least. This isn't the first time Zack's done this - they've done this.

Cloud glances over at him in the dark and scoffs, but he doesn't get out of the truck even though his hand is on the door handle. “What?”

Zack smiles, tilts his head in his hand, “I wanted to say hi.”

“Hey.”

“And I was wondering if I could kiss you?”

There's always an unnatural beat every time Zack asks, a too long moment where he watches Cloud’s eyes dart around, looking everywhere but at Zack.

“You could,” Cloud mutters, but doesn't come in any closer.

Zack leans just a little bit further over the console and waits, “May I?”

Cloud makes a noise that Zack knows is annoyance, but not at Zack; it's frustration, but not with Zack.

“Yeah.”

Zack drums his fingers on the console, still waiting, and laughs a little, softly, “Then you're gonna have to come a little closer, Cloud.”

The cab door opens and Cloud gets out with a huff, slamming it behind him, and Zack nearly jumps out of his skin in surprise. He watches Cloud from inside, concerned at first, until he realizes Cloud’s coming over to his side of the cab. He wants to laugh but he shouldn't laugh, shouldn't make a sound to distract Cloud from single-mindedly wrenching open the door on Zack’s side and stepping up onto the nerf bar. Zack realizes he couldn't laugh even if he wanted to; he's lost his breath. He shifts in his seat to face the other man, legs spreading to accommodate him standing there.

Zack wets his lips, takes a breath, “Is this okay?” He means Cloud standing there, between his legs, but he's not sure that gets across. He's almost surprised at his own attraction to him; even though it's nothing new, it still feels different - Cloud-specific. He likes Cloud like this, standing taller than Zack in the open door of his truck, a hand braced on the back of Zack’s seat.

“Yeah,” Cloud still looks annoyed but it's softening into embarrassment instead as his hand very lightly drifts from the back of Zack’s chair to Zack’s shoulder, and then further back and Zack can feel Cloud’s fingers at the nape of his neck, ghost light, “It's okay.”

When Zack reaches up and cups Cloud’s face in his hands - slowly, so slowly, so fucking slowly - Cloud let's his eyelids fall shut, let’s out the breath he's been holding again. His shoulders fall. Zack wishes he could pull Cloud into his lap but he knows that's a little too much, at least out here. He sits up straighter and gently pulls Cloud down to kiss him, smoothing his thumbs over his cheekbones and relishing the shiver it gets out of him.

It's a sweet little thing, a question in a kiss, that makes Cloud lean further into him for a second one, bracing himself against the edge of Zack’s seat, between Zack’s knees. Moving his hand down to Cloud’s hip to steady him, his fingers slip beneath his shirt, skin on skin, and Cloud tenses for a moment and then pulls away. Zack mutters a quiet ‘sorry’ and leans over, pressing his cheek to the side of Cloud’s forearm. Cloud nods mutely, and lets himself rest his hand on Zack's knee for a moment as he drops out of the cab back onto the pavement. He helps Zack with his bags and they head upstairs to Aerith and dinner and homework, shoulders bumping.

\--

Zack goes to bed early to get up early - if he doesn't have practice in the mornings then he has class first thing to accommodate his practices in the afternoon - and it doesn't bother him too much to be in bed alone. Aerith usually joins him later, or wakes him up and pulls him into another room. He's never had much trouble falling asleep. He likes it - being woken up just to join them, knowing that they don't want to leave him out - too much to complain. He's just turned out the lamp and rolled over in bed to get comfortable when he hears the knob turn and he glances over his shoulder at the clock, squinting in the dark to read the numbers that are blurry without his contacts. He looks up to see Aerith, but finds Cloud instead, in sweatpants and a tank top.

“Everything okay?” He starts and then pauses, watching as Cloud closes the door behind him and crosses the room quietly. It's only up close that Zack can see Cloud’s face, read the almost sulky expression. “Cloud?”

Cloud pulls back the sheets and climbs in, shaking the covers back out over himself, “Aerith’s fine. I’m fine.”

“You just wanted to see me?” Zack teases and Cloud immediately flusters, face going hot. Zack’s heart is leaping out of his chest at the thought, at the reality that Cloud is here climbing into bed with him because he wants to, without prompting.

When Cloud nods, however minutely, Zack can't help but smile, shifting around a little to accommodate the other man that's fitting himself against his side. They don't do this often. On the handful of occasions they'd been in bed together they had usually faced each other, with distance between them. Once they had woken up spooned like this, but never chosen to lay like this together. Zack wonders - his pulse jumping as Cloud noses into the crook of Zack’s neck - if it's been allowed all this time, and he'd just been too chicken to do it. Maybe this is new, a development. He stops thinking when he feels Cloud sigh against his skin.

“Long day?” Zack asks quietly, bringing an arm tentatively up around Cloud, not resting on his waist but up higher, around his rib cage, where the tips of his fingers can play with the hair that curls around Cloud’s earlobes.

Cloud nods again, shifting a little more and Zack stills with every accidental brush of Cloud’s nose at his neck or jaw. Cloud yawns, and Zack makes a little sympathetic noise that makes Cloud chuckle, a quiet exhale. “Yeah, actually.”

Zack thinks he doesn't understand a thing about Cloud, but he wants to so badly.

He takes a chance and moves, adjusting them a little so he can tip Cloud’s head up, fingers light on the side of his neck, thumb under Cloud’s chin. Cloud blinks up at him - his eyes are so fucking blue, Zack thinks, not a darker blue like Zack's own, but pale and clear - and then closes his eyes and Zack can't not kiss him. It's Cloud that slips an arm around Zack’s waist and pulls himself closer, hums a noise against Zack’s lips that makes Zack feel lightheaded. His fingers stutter against the underside of Cloud’s chin. When they pull apart Cloud looks softer, like his head has gone quiet for once.

“Tell me about it,” Zack prompts gently, nosing at Cloud’s cheek. He can feel Cloud’s fingers clenching and unclenching against his back - he wonders if it's a nervous tic or an unconscious habit.

“About what?” Cloud stifles a yawn.

“Your day.”

“Really?” Cloud pulls away a little, rolling onto his back, and Zack immediately misses the fingers on his back, “It wasn't exciting.”

Zack props himself up on his elbow, fist against the side of his head, “Tell me anyway. Isn't that the whole point of having a boyfriend?”

He can't see Cloud blush in the dark but he can see the face Cloud makes for a moment, a scrunched little grimace. “Yeah? Is that what they're for?”

“Yeah,” Zack grins, feeling giddy and dumb - Cloud hadn't denied it, hadn't said they weren’t. ‘Boyfriend’: it felt good on his lips, in his mouth. They'll talk about it later. Tomorrow, probably.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not originally written as a sequel, but something in a similar enough vein that i didn't feel it merited it's own post.  
> still in quarantine, still writing writing re-writing softness.  
> if you're reading this i hope you're well, and thank you, as always.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to new manga chapters for reminding me to stop agonizing and put something up.  
> entering week 6 of gov. mandated stay-at-home for me. hope you're safe and well.


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